Detox

I really can't think of anyone who would read this blog who is not already completely aware of the ongoing of my existence, so I am just going to ramble. I think that it might just be an attempt to avoid my school projects, but non-the-less, I think that I will take this opportunity.

Yesterday night I finished a 28-day detox diet. I am not sure how helpful they really are in life, but I was willing to take that risk. I think that I am totally addicted to sugar! My job is the worst one to have when you are struggling with this sort of addiction. It is in the middle of the might, when the human body wants carbohydrates to met its needs and everyone I work with is always buying and bringing unnecessary treats. It is not so bad that they bring them, but they they place them out of the counter next to my charting space so they are there while I am writing and to just walk past and grab one or two....but that turns into 100's. Anyway, I was telling myself daily that I should eat healthy and that I would not indulge. I was an utter failure. I was also struggling with an eternal foot injury that had not allowed me to exercise since July. Well, three miracles have occurred. My foot is practically in full recovery. I have exercised, in fact, I have "granny jogged" twice this week. Number two, I went a full 28 days on the detox diet eating no sugar, salt, tomatoes, bananas, cow milk products, or bread. The best part is that I feel better having done it. The third miracle is part of the 2nd, but I resisted and at no sugar at work. Yeah! My temporary mission was accomplished...now for the real test, will I be able to continue strong since the detox is over?

All of the hum-drum weather here in Utah has been bringing me down. Don't get me wrong, I love the rain, but I am missing the sun. So, I have been thinking a lot about Phoenix and my home there. I miss the tree house that I lived in, here is the view from my front door, for all of those who never came to visit me there.

I also miss the swimming pool year round. Aaahhh!!! Even though everyday was not great there, especially the first year and a half, the last 6 months were good. Miss all of the hikes that I took.

Homework

Today I am supposed to be doing homework. It is amazing how many other things you can find to do when you are supposed to be doing something else. I have exercised and showered and eaten...now I am writing on the blog. I really need to focus since this paper is due today, but I am going to write for just a moment. School is going well and I am once again getting good grades. I just have a lot of projects due in the next two weeks.
I was able to find a physician who will work with me this next semester, which is a relief. I will get the pleasure of driving to Brigham City three times a week. The drive is not the bad part, it is the money I will dish out when gas goes up to $4/gallon this summer. AAAhhhh! I don't know how we will all survive. I keep reminding myself that I will graduate in December and that I essentially have only 7 months left. Yeah!
I am looking forward to the big family vacation to Washington. It will be a break from the monotony of every day life.

Happy Thoughts

I have some good news, I am going to be done with this semesters clinical hours on Monday. I am very happy about that, although I really enjoyed the clinic. I think that I will miss being there. I think that I need experience somewhere else so I am once again going to be searching for some office that will allow me to come and get my clinical hours. I am happy with my progress because I can now examine ears and basically tell if they are infected...that I was really struggling with during the first semester. I have also gotten better at charting and determining the amounts of many of the antibiotics used in pediatrics. I still have a lot to learn, but progress is always good.
Now I get the privilege of spending the rest of the semester studying, writing papers, and earning money to pay for the next semester. I am actually looking forward to making some money at work. That will start next week though.
I keep wishing that something exciting is going to happen in my life, but I believe that my life is going to be pretty boring up until I graduate in 10 months. Yeah, 10 MONTHS! I keep reminding myself that there are only 10 months so that I can manage the amount of work I have to finish.
An additional amount of new is that there is some improvement with my foot. I was able to go for a short walk, 20 minutes, twice this week without having increased pain in my foot. I am hoping that this improvement continues...then maybe I will be able to hike in the Spring. HAPPY THOUGHTS!

Lack of Time

As everyone experiences occasionally in life, I am feeling overwhelmed. There just does not seem to be any spare time in the day. I am just busy all of the time. Sundays are my day off from work and clinicals and they are spent sleeping and at church. I am having a good time in my clinicals, enjoying the people at the clinic and the patients that I am seeing. I am always excited when I get a diagnoses correct. My favorite part is that out the two patients we had come in with appendicitis, I diagnosed both of them! Of course they had to have CT scans first, but I had it pegged before the results came back. I just need to work on my rashes, behavioral issues, and other not so familiar things. I can't wait to get out of cold, flu, nausea, and vomitting season. I am tired of the sniffles and I am sure that all the patients and teachers in the local school systems are as well.
I was just thinking about it though and I only have two more semesters until I graduate. I am very jealous of Ann who will graduate in May. It feels like the older sibling should graduate first, but maybe that does not apply to Master's degrees. For now I think that I will just have to turn green with envy.
Work in the Emergency Room is exciting and always filled with new things. This past weekend I have one mediocre night, one horrible night, and one great night. On the horrible night I thought that I was actually suicidal or homicidal. I think that some of my patients were seriously in for it, but that they were all a little too crazy to realize it. I was contemplating quiting and finding a new job and for the talk of the others who were working it was a general concensous. The people there this last Friday night were out of control and they just kept coming to the ER. I thought maybe there was an unknown epidemic going on, but rumour has it that there might have been a full moon. Those are never good. There are reasons people who are crazy are called "luna"tics. Luckily, it was the last night of the weekend that was great. I contemplated my thoughts when I was thinking clearly and decided that I needed the insurance and the job was rarely that bad.

Back at the Homefront

Well, there is some good news at the ranch. I have found a preceptor. I had an interview with him yesterday and he agreed to work with me three times a week until the end of April. Yeah! I am hoping for a good experience. It is going to be a lot of work. I will be working three nights a week at work and then three days a week at his office. This will leave little time for for anything but sleeping and the rest of my school work. I am a little bit worried about fall semester which is going to require me to get 240 hours (this semester is only 180 hours), but I keep telling myself not to worry about it until I get there.
I have been exceptionally tired lately. I think that has contributed to my crankiness. I did a whole lot of sleeping over the last few days and I have started feeling better. I am about to head downstairs for some more sleep so that I can make it back to work tonight. I had to go there this morning for a skills day where we just went through slide show presentations for four hours. THRILLING!